Bag turning apparatus



May 12, 1931. c. F. SPARKS BAG TURNING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 7, 1926 May 12, 1931.

c. F. SPARKS BAG TURNING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1926 eIII'IIIIIIII I I a llll'l. 1

May 12, 19310 c, SPARKS 1,805,111

BAG TURNING APPARATUS Filed June 7, 1926 4Sheets-Sheet 3 May 12, 1931-.c. F. SPARKS BAG TURNING APPARATUS Filed June 7, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4'atented May 12, 1931 ETD SATES CHARLES F. SPARKS, OF ST. LOUIS,IVIISSQURI BAG TURNING APPARATUS Application filed June 7,

This invention relates to a method of, and apparatus for turning bags,and with regard to certain more specific features, to pneumaticallyoperable bag turning apparatus.

5 Among the several objects of the inventionmay be noted the provisionof a bag turning apparatus adapted to turn and deliver bags at a highrate of speed, by reducing the time required to feed and remove thebags; the provision of apparatus of the class described which is highlyeconomical of the air required for its operation; the provision of animproved bag turning method requiring the combination of relatively fewmechanical'elements for its successful operation and the pro-vision ofapparatus of the class described which may be easily and readilyoperated by comparatively unskilled operators. Other objects will be inpart obvious g and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combination ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts whichwillbe exemplified in the struc 25 ture hereinafter described, and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of variouspossible embodi- 30 ments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a left side elevation of the apparatus, certain portions beingbroken away, and shows a turned bag being tucked into delivery rolls; I

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of Fig. 1 and shows a stack of deliveredbags;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. l;

4 is a fragmentary side elevation imilar to Fig. 1, but shows the bagbeing delivered to a stack, after having passed through the deliveryrolls, and shows another about to be turned;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. at and shows the apparatusrepositioning itself just asanother bag is being turned therein; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 66 of Fig. 3, and shows theshape of the mouth of the suction casing.

Similar reference characters indicate corre- 1926. Serial No. 114,285.

spondi'ng parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated atnumeral 1 a suction blower adapted to induce an air flow from a lengthof preferably sheet iron piping 3, attached to a sheet iron or likeelbow 5'. The elbow 5 is in turn attached to a length of ver tical,preferably sheet iron piping 7. This vertical piping passes downwardlyto a valve boa-rd 9 and is flanged to engage a valve passage 11 therein.The opening or passage 11 is rectilinear in shape, with its long sidepositioned laterally of the machine. A valve pocket- 13 is formed abovesaid board 9, just ahead of the pipe 7 and joining with the interior ofthe pipe 7. The joints between the pipes 7, pocket 13 and board 9 arenominally air tight. The purpose of the pocket 13 will be hereinafterdescribed.

' The valve board 9 rests upon theframe F of the machine, which framecomprises right and left 11 rights 15 and 17 respectively. These uprigits comprise channel irons which carry a laterally positioned upperangle iron 19 adapted to aid in the support of the valve board 9. Bracedto the rear of the frame F are two fly shaft supports 21 adapted to 1'0-tatabl y support a fly shaft 23. A receiving table 25 is supported atthe rear of the frame F and below said fly shaft. This table issupported on an angle-iron bracket 26 and a pair of legs 27.

Positioned between the uprights 15 and 17 is an upper air casing 29which is fastened to said valve board 9 and registers with the opening11, so that air maybe drawn therefrom by the suction blower 1. Thiscasing 29 has a sloping and forwardly projecting portion 31', into whichis set apanel of glass 83 for purposes of viewing the interior. A lowerextension 35 of said upper air casing 29 is telescoped by a lower casing37. The upper and lower casings, 29 and 37 respectively may be clampedtogether at the telescoping portions in any of their relativelyadjustable positions by means of a clamp block 39, which is pressed upagainst the telescopic joint by means of adjustable fly bolts 41,passing through a laterally supported angle iron 43.

The iron 43 is held to said uprights 15, 17. The purpose of thisadjustment as will be seen later, is to provide means for adjusting themachine to accommodate particular lengths of bags.

The lower end of the lower air casing 37 is rounded more or lesselliptically on one side, as illustrated in Fig. 6. This is for thepurpose of more easily fitting a bag mouth to the lower end of the aircasing.

Rearwardly, in the upper air casing 29, i. formed a rectan ularly formedlateral opening with which two rollers and i9 are adapted to more orless completely register. These rollers are rotatably supported in sidebrackets 51 and 58 fastened to the rear of said uprights 15 and 17respectively. They have substantially continuous and uninterruptedsurfaces, by which is meant that the rolls do not function as air valvesthemselves. The lower roller 47 is gudgeoned in a rotatable manner butis positively held in one position as far as any linear movement iscon.- cerned. It is mounted on a shaft which carries a driving pulley 57adapted to be retated counter-clockwise (Figs. 1, 4.- and 5). By thismeans the lower roller ro" es counter-clockwise. It is adapted to snuglyengage the resilient lower lip of the opening 45 as it rotates, and alsoengages the ends of the opening.

The upper roller 49 is rotatably gudgeoned in substantially verticallyformed slots 59 of the brackets 51 and 53. It rests on and contacts withthe lower roller 47 by gravity and is therefore driven thereby in aclockwise manner. It may be downwardly spring pressed, if desired. Thisupper roller movably engages the upper resilient lip of the opening 45in various vertical positions of said roller and also engages the endsof said opening. End play in both rollers is conventionally prevent-ed.The lower roller shaft 55 is provided with a pinion 61 at the endopposite its pulley end. This pinion 61 is adapted to engage with anddrive a main cam gear 63 rotatably held on a stud 6st, which stud 64 ismade fast to the said brackets 53. It is evident from the above that thecam 63 will rotate in a clockwise direction. The gear ratio between thepinion 61 and the cam gear 63 is approximately SlX to one.

The cam gear 63 carries an inside cam stud 65 for the purpose ofoperating a fly shaft mechanism, to be described; and an outside cammingstud 67 for the purpose of operating a valve gear and tucking mechanism,also to be described. The inside stud 65 is located at a greater radiuson the gear 63 than the outside stud 67 The fly shaft mechanism which isoperated by the stud 65 comprises a four bar linkage L having apendulous crank 69 suspended from an overhanging bracket 71 (the bracketbeing formed with the said bracket 53) This crank 69 is adapted to beswung rearwardly by engagement of the stud 65 during approximatelyone-half of one revolution of said stud. While not engaged by the stud65, the crank tends to hang downwardly and rest against the outer end ofthe said stud which supports the gear 63.

The remainder of the four bar linkage L comprises a second crank 73fastened to said fly shaft 23 and a connecting rod 7 5 joining thecranks 69 and 73. The fly shaft 23 is provided with a plurality ofradially extending fly fingers 77, which lie horizontally when the fourbar linkage L is swung into its outermost position by the pin 65. Vhenthe said linkage L is in its innermost position, with the pendulouscrank 69 resting against the stationary stud 64:, then the outer ends ofthe iiy fingers 7'? are adapted to be positioned at a point just beneaththe line of contact C between the rolls :7 and 4-9. A return spring 79is provided for normally holding the four bar linkage L in its retractedposition with the pendulous crank 69 resting against the stationary stud6-4. It is evident from the above that he 180 degree upward movement ofthe pin 65 results in the fly fingers 77 moving from their more or lessupright sloping position, down to their horizontal position and back upto said upright sloping position. The moveniient of the fly sh aft isconsequently of a high velocity, which serves useful purposeshereinafter to he made clear. It should he noted that the fly fingersreach out horizontally over the delivery table 25 when swung downwardly.

Laterally formed across, and inside of the lower end of the casing 29,is a rock shaft 81. his shaft 81 passes from the interior of the casing29 at suitable openings on each side, ad apted toprevent excessiveleakage of air, and is rotatably borne in bearings 83 located on theuprights l5 and 17. At a point outside of the ce ng 29, and to the leftof the cam gear 63 in orward projection, the rock shaft 81 is providedwith a crank 65, adapted to normaly rest upon a pin projecting inwardlyom the bracket 53. )uring about 90 demovement of the pin 67, the crank hnd by said pin 6?, whereby the rock r oscillated through a suitableangle. On the interior of the casing 29 the rock shaft 61 is providedwith preferably five forward- 1 ping tucking fingers 89, the ends of-..i .1ch are adapted to be closely juxtapositioued to the line ofcontact C of the rolls 4:7, s19, when the crank 85 rests on the pin 87.When the crank in its uppermost position, due to the action of therevolving pin 67, then the ends of the tucking lingers are withdrawnfrom their position near the line of contact 1 of the rolls 4?, 4:9.

The rock shaft 81 is also provided in the casing 25) with two upwardlyextending supporting rods 9i, which carry a more or less arcua-te,preferably aluminum Valve plate 93. This valve plate 93 is of a lengthadapted to span and close the opening 11,, and of a width adapted to:also laterally close said opening. The oscillations of the rock shaft8-1 are such as to move the tucking fingers as described, and to movethe valve plate 93' into and out of register with the opening 11. Whenthe tucking fingers 89 are in forward position, then the valve plate 93'is adapted to obstruct the passage 11, and when said: tucking fingersare in their rearward position, then said valve plate 93 is adapted tomove from its obstructing position. lVhen the valve plate 93 moves fromits obstructing position, it is adapted to move into the recess orpocket 13. The described valve is adapted primarily to obstruct thepassage of air, rather than to positively and completely shut off itsflow. This means that the described rugged type of valve may be used. Aspring 95 is adapted to normally draw the crank 85 down against the stop87, that is, when the cam stud 67 is not engaging therewith. This closesthe air valve and puts the fingers 89 into tucking position.

J1 grating, comprising fingers 97, fastened to a cross bracket 99, isprovided to obstruct the passage through the casing 29 at regions abovethe rollers 47, 49. The plurality of fingers 97 are arranged instaggered relationship with respect to the tucking fingers 89 (in an endelevation). They are curved and reached from a point just above therolls 47, 49, and slope downwardly and forwardly to a point somewhatwithin said bulged portion 31, and below said rolls. In sidewardprojection the grating fingers 97 are intersected by the movablestaggered tucking fingers 89. The grating fingers 97 are adapted toobstruct the upward passage of objects, tending to feed them toward therolls 47, 49, and yet permitting a free and unobstructed passage of air.

In order to conveniently juxtaposition the mouth of bags to the lowermouth of the air casing 37, there is provided a horizontal bar 101,beneath which, the knees 103 of an operator are positioned. A supply ofbags are slid over the operators knees along the bar 101 from whichposition the bags may be picked up one at a time to be fed to themachine.

The timing of the machine is as follows:

For each revolution of the control or cam gear 63' one bag is deliveredon to the table The longest length permissible for the bags with thepresent embodiment will be approximately three times the girth ofthe'lower roller 47. The widths of the bags are limited to the widths ofthe rollers but may be less. The fly fingers will make a complete cycleor oscillation while the gear 63 turns through one-half of onerevolution. The rocker shaft 81 oscillates through one valve operatingand tucking cycle, while the gear its month next to and around the lowermouth of the ca sing 37. The air valve is then opened as illustrated inFig. 5, and the tucking fingers 89 are in their non-tucking forwardpositions. The: driving pulley 57 is rotating as described. The flyfingers are just returning from their delivery positions. The draft ofair up through the casings 37, 29 and pipe 7 qi-iickly turns or snapsthe bag inside out, up into the casings 29, 37. The casings 29 and 37have been predeterminately adjusted so that under these conditions thenew upper edge of the bag is positioned just under the ends of thetucking fingers. The upper end of the bag is somewhat pressed up againstthe rolls 47, 49 because of the rearwardly slanting grating fingers 9and the tucking fingers 89. Fig. 5 indicates that the pin 65 ispermitting the last portion of the return action of the four bar linkageL, while the pin 67 has about reached the maximum with regard to itseffect on the rock shaft 81.

The next critical point of operation is illustrated in Fig. 1, in whichthe pin 67 has permittedthe rock shaft 81 to cause closing of the airvalve and the endsof the tucking fingers to approach the line of contactof the rol lers'47,-49. The result of this is, that the upper edge ofthe'bag is positively fed in toward the line of contact C so that therollers grip' it anddeliver it out over the fly fingers 77 asillustrated by the dotted arrow in Fig. 1-. The bag' is flattened. Thepin 65 has gone out of cooperation with the crank 69. The rock shaft 81will not be cyclically operable again for some 270 degrees from the Fig.1 position, while tl e four bar l inkage will be operated within about150 degrees of operation of the gear 63. This, in view of the six to oneratio between the pinion 61 and gearGS means that within about two andonehalf revolutions of the rolls 47, 49, the bag will be completely fedout of the rolls 47, 49, to a position on and above the sloping; flyfingers 77. At this latter instant the pin 65 re-engages the crank 69,whereby the fly fingers are suddenly swung downwardly, carrying the bagwith them.' About tworevolutions of the roller 47 are used in causingthe fingers 77 to descend. The fingers stop shortly at thei horizontalposition whereat the bag descends to'a stack on the table 25. Theresistance of the air holds the bags tightly to the fingers as theyswing.

At the time that the fly fingers 77 areabout horizontally positioned,the pin 67 re-engages the crank 85 to oscillate the rock shaft 81 to aposition corresponding to the one finally reached in Fig. 5. It may benoted that by turning the air valve shut as the bag is fed through therolls 4:7, all), that all danger is avoided of crumpling the bag by acurrent of air from below the bag is held a the rolls.

It is evident that the operator may view the entire turning anddelivering process through the glass 33 and make proper manipulationswhen trouble is encountered. It should be noted, that after the operatorhas once brought the mouth of the bag up to the mouth of the lowercasing 87, that she reaches for another bag with the other hand. By thetime the firstnamed bag has been drawn into the rolls 4?, 49, thesecond-named bag has been manipulated by the free hand for rapiddelivery by both hands to the mouth of the casing. The machine action isentirely automatic as the operator feeds bags to the device, but shouldthe operator miss in delivering the bag to the mouth of the ap paratus,no harm is done as the next suction event will take place as usual whenthe operator does deliver a bag. It should also be noted that theslidable upper roller 49 tends to always keep the slot closed out ofwhich the bag emerges. It may be spring pressed against the roller 47,if desired. The rollers 4-7, 49, feed out the bag, and at the same timefunction as an air trap. hen the bag widths are less than the widths ofthe rolls, the possible leakage is negligible and of no particu larconsequence as the upper air valve 93 is shut when the bags teed out ofthe machine.

The time required for sucking air through the casing is of shortduration, so that by timing several machines out of step and connectingtheir air lines in parallel to the suction line, a blower of suflicientpower for intermittent operation on one machine, may be used forcontinuously operating several of them.

The use of a vertical casing for the draft of air for turning is ofgreat value as regards ease of operation of the machine. By this meansof: vertically holding upturned bags, they may be placed directly infront of the operator, with the line of openings squarely to the line ofmovement of the operators arms while feeding them to the casing, whichis located at a convenient level and close up to the unturned bags. Theimportance of thus holding the unturned bags in connection with thevertical casing comprises permitting feeding with the least and quickestmovement of the operators arms and hands without the added uselessmotion of other parts of her body. It permits a comfortable sittingposition tending to rapidity and ease of work.

The unturned and turned bags may be supplied to the rod 101, and removedfrom the table 25, respectively in suitable batches. A neat stack ofbags is had on said table 25.

It will be seen from the above that means including the valve 93 are hadbeyond the predetermined point at which the rolls 47, 49 are located forintermittently drawing air past the roll surfaces.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A bag turning machine comprising a substantially vertical casing,valved means for intermittently drawing air upwardly .in the casing toturn a bag therein, and discharge rolls torn'iing a portion of the wall.of the casing at an upward point adapted to teed bags from said casing,said means for intermittently drawing air being operable independentlyof the roll. surfaces.

A. bag tru-ning machine comprising a substantially vertical casing,means for drawing air upwardly in the casing to turn a bag therein,discharge rolls forming a portion of the wall of the casing at an upwardpoint, adapted to feed bags from said casing, and a valve above therolls adapted to intercept the flow of air when the rolls aredischarging a bag.

3. A bag turning machine comprising a substantially vertical casing,means for in termittently drawing air upwardly in the casing to turn abag therein, discharge rolls forming a portion 01": the wall of thecasing at an upward point, adapted to feed bags from said casing, andtucking means adapted to feed turned bags into said rolls, the saidair-drawing and tucking means being operable independently of the rollsurfaces.

4-. A bag turning machine comprising a substantially vertical casing,means including a valve for drawing air upwardly in the casing to turn abag therein, discharge rolls forming a portion of the wall of the casingat an upward point adapted to feed bags from said casing, and tuckingmeans adapted to feed turned bags into said rolls, said tucking meansbeing synchronized with the valve to be operable when the valve is inclosed position.

5. A bag turning machine comprising a substantially vertical casing,means including a valve for drawing air upwardly in the casing to turn abag therein, discharge rolls forming a portion of the wall of the casingat an upward point adapted to feed bags from said casing by a pluralityoiii' revolutions, and tucking means adapted to feed turned iii.

bags into said rolls, said. tucking means being synchronized with saidvalve to be operable when the valve is in closed position, and means forstacking the bags as they are fed out from said rolls.

6. A bag turning machine comprising a casing, means for drawing airthrough the casing to turn a bag therein, discharge rolls forming aportion of the wall of the casing, adapted to feed bags from the casingby a plurality of revolutions for each bag, valved means forinterrupting the flow of air, and a tucking mechanism adapted to divertbags to the rolls when the said flow is interrupted.

7. A bag turning machine comprising a casing, means for drawing airthrough the casing to turn a bag therein, discharge rolls forming aportion of the wall of the casing adapted to feed bags from the casing,valved means for interrupting the flow of air, and a tucking mechanismadapted to divert bags to, the rolls when the said flow is interrupted,and means for stacking the bags as they emerge from the rolls comprisingsynchronized positively operating fly fingers adapted to receive andremove the bags as they are fed from said rolls.

8. A bag turning machine comprising a casing, means for drawing airthrough the casing to turn a bag therein, discharge rolls forming aportion of the wall of the casing adapted to feed bags from the casingby a plurality of revolutions for each bag,

valved means for interrupting the How of air, and a tucking mechanismadapted to divert bags to the rolls when the said flow is interrupted,and means for stacking the bags as they emerge from the rolls, saidvalved means, tucking means, and stacking means being synchronized tofunction in the said order.

9. In bag turning apparatus a casing, means for drawing air through thecasing to turn a bag therein, a plurality of bag ejecting rollscooperating with the casing and turning in contact with the turned bags,means for positively pressing the bags into contact with the rollerswhereby said rollers automatically feed them from the casing, and agrating in the casing beyond the rolls adapted to prevent passage of thebags from the casing except through the rolls and tending to force theturned bags toward the rolls.

1(). In a bag turning apparatus, a vertical casing, means for producingan upward draft of air therethrough to turn a bag therein, a pluralityof ejecting rolls whose circumferences are substantially less than thelength of a bag to be turned, said rolls cooperating with said casingand adapted to feed bags from said casing.

11. In bag turning apparatus, a vertical casing, means for producing anupward draft of air therethrough to turn a bag therein, a

ing at one end thereof, a pair of rolls forming I a part of the casingadapted to eject said bag from said casing, substantially uninterruptedsurfaces on said rolls and coordinated automatic means adapted to directthe closed end of the bag to said rolls whereupon the bag is fed betweensaid rolls and out of said casing.

13. A bag turning machine comprising a casing, means for intermittentlydrawing air through the casing to turn bags therein and discharge rollshaving substantially uninterrupted surfaces, said rolls forming aportion of the wall of the casing and being adapted to feed bagstherefrom, said means for intermittently drawing air, drawing air pastthe roll surfaces.

14:. A bag turning machine comprising a casing, means for intermittentlydrawing air through the casing to turn bags therein, discharge rollshaving substantially uninterrupted surfaces, said rolls forming aportionof the walls of the casing and being adapted to feed bags therefrom,said means for intermittently drawing air, drawing air past the rollsurfaces and. automatic means for tucking the ends of the bags betweensaid rolls.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this5th day of June,

CHARLES F. SPARKS.

